A man has been found guilty over the theft of a £4.8m gold toilet from the Oxfordshire country house where Winston Churchill was born.

Blenheim Palace’s 18-carat lavatory was stolen in September 2019 while it was featuring in an art exhibition.

The fully functioning toilet, created by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was plumbed in at the time of the heist, causing flooding and damage to the 18th-century house in Woodstock.

Michael Jones was convicted of planning the burglary. The jury is still considering verdicts for two other men charged with conspiring to sell the gold.

James Sheen, 39, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, previously pleaded guilty to burglary, converting or transferring criminal property and conspiracy to do the same at Oxford crown court.

More details soon …